


A Fairytale, This Is Not

by Fighting_for_Creativity



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Merlin (TV), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (for merlin), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Dragons, Dreams, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra, Identity Issues, Kidnapping, Love Triangles, M/M, Magic, Other, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Science, Secret Relationship, Team as Family, Temporary Character Death, knights of the round table - Freeform, okish Howard, sword fight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:29:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28194729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fighting_for_Creativity/pseuds/Fighting_for_Creativity
Summary: Sometimes, unbeknownst to Tony, his reflection doesn’t show the man the world sees.Yet his dreams show Tony, what has been, and what will come.On a journey to himself, Tony Stark learns to trust and live, finding a family with unlikely people and love in the most unexpected ways.
Relationships: Gwaine/Merlin (Merlin), James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Morgana (Merlin)
Kudos: 7
Collections: StarkBucksBingo2020, Tony Stark Bingo Mark IV





	A Fairytale, This Is Not

**Author's Note:**

> ### Welcome to 'A Fairytale, This Is Not'. 
> 
> Please take the time to read the notes. It will save you some confusion later on.
> 
> Quite recently I found my way back into my older fandoms, like Merlin, and due to the TSB Party, I was inspired to write this story. 
> 
> The story will cover several years for the characters, with flashbacks and visions and dreams. It can be seen as two stories happening simultaneously while the 'background' story doesn't always happen in chronicle order.
> 
> I tried to follow the Merlin universe as close to the show as was possible for this fic to work, but there are very obvious divergences, as you will realize in the first chapter already.
> 
> Unlike with the Merlin universe, I took lots of liberties with the Marvel one, although I do follow the concept of the first few movies to some degree.
> 
> About the pairings; the endgame will be **Gwaine/Merlin, Tony/Bucky**. There will be hints of several other ships, some from canon, some not, and the epilogue does contain an ambitious opening for a polyamorous relationship between Tony, Arthur, Morgana, and Bucky. (Take note, no Arthur/Morgana)
> 
> Most characters will have minor roles, but I tried to include them all in a story relevant way. There are a lot of more tags I will have to add over time, but I don't like to spoiler so I have not included those that give too much away- if you want more info before you start reading, please feel free to ask me- link to my Tumblr and my discord name in the notes below. (Also, if I'm missing tags please tell me!)  
> \--
> 
> other notes:  
> I have a lot of bingos that end very soon and I, therefore, will work on those until the end of the year. After that, I will continue to work here and torture my poor beta into reading all my stuff. 
> 
> [Peach](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EachPeachPearPlum/pseuds/EachPeachPearPlum), thank you. Honestly, you always try so hard to help me out with my writing messes and I'm grateful to call you my friend.  
> [Meg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg), [Ducky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_ducky00/), [ Riot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiotFalling/pseuds/RiotFalling), [Jay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/endrega_Turtlesse) and [Juni](), and everyone of my dear friends, I thank you for encouraging me always and despite the tiring times being there for me. I'm unbelievingly glad that I had the chance to meet you all and befriend you. 
> 
> As it is, this first chapter fills two bingo squares. (Bingo information in the endnotes.)
> 
> Now, thank you for taking the time to read this, and hopefully, you will enjoy the story and the art I created for it as much I did.
> 
> [Disclaimer: the intellectual property of the characters and the worlds those charcters act in belonging to their creators respectively. I humbly borrowed them to create my own little tale. No copyright infringement intented.]

_  
In a land of myth, there was once a man rumored to be the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth. His name was Merlin, and the fate of all of Albion had rested on his and his Prince's shoulders. Myth told of a man wise and wizened beyond human comprehension. Time wove truth with myth, history with tales until no one could separate them, untangle the tapestry._

_Many tried to write their interpretation of the past, a few succeeded to have their truth be passed on. But none knew the world as she had been; mistakes were made and translations were misinterpreted._

_Yet, the truth has an uncanny way of coming to light, sooner or later. And as the Once and Future King was foretold to rise again at the time of Albion’s greatest need, so will his court and Merlin._

~Camelot~

“I swear to you. I will wait right here, and when you wake none of you will be left alone. I will be there to guide you in the new age.” 

A raven-haired young man stands in front of his king. The spell is already working its way through all that is Camelot. The High Priestess looks at him in anguish, knowing what the spell will do to him but too late to stop the warlock from fulfilling his duty. The once and future king’s lips part as if to give a final order, or a simple insult, the warlock never knows with his friend, and king- love. Before anything can happen, any sound can pass his lips, the spell locks in place, freezing Camelot as whole, putting it out of time and space.

Lancelot and Gwen, embracing. Percival and Leon at Morgana’s and Arthur’s side, solid support even after one of their own has been ripped away. Elyan and Mordred, quiet but watchful for any danger. Gaius standing off to one side, his old face marred with resignation and sorrow.

The warlock's gaze shifts to the only empty chair of the round table, feeling Gwaine’s absence more strongly than ever.

He commits every single face to his memory before turning around, leaving his home and family for an unknown length of time.

~

Tony hated those dreams. Sometimes he wondered why he was so fascinated by all those things. Why Arthurian legend, of all things, had him quite literally spellbound. Other times he knew why. The eight-year-old genius had spent countless hours with Jarvis in the manor’s library, reading all the different stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Personally, Tony thought that many of those authors had overactive imaginations to come up with such things. Despite that, he always was drawn to the books, to the myths of King Arthur. The child remembered faintly that one of the first things he had asked Jarvis for was a book about Arthur. As was the nature of a child, Tony chuckled at the memory of his fumbling, naive, five-year-old self asking old Jarvis for ‘a manuscript of the clotpole.’

No one could explain where Tony had heard that word for the first time, but it had stuck with him for a few years until Howard heard it and assumed Tony was insulting him. A grimace contorted the child's face when he remembered that very unpleasant moment in his life.

Unlike Howard, Jarvis and, later, Aunt Peggy encouraged him to read more and more about Arthur and, slowly but surely, reading up about Camelot and all the surrounding myths became a part of his routine.

So maybe Tony had only himself to blame for the strangely vivid dreams and the feeling of longing that following them. The child climbed out of his bed, knowing from experience that he wouldn’t sleep anymore. 

He passed his mirror in the dark, not seeing the black hair or the hint of blue in his reflection’s eyes instead of the warm honey brown eyes and hazelnut hair, so he missed a glimpse of a past life that could never be his again.

~

Over the years the dreams became less frequent. They never stopped, not really, but they got rare enough with each passing year that Tony sometimes went months without one. He had mixed feelings about that. He was glad that his dreams became more normal if flying robotic suits and alien attacks and strange space vikings counted as normal. But he missed the sense of familiarity those dreams of Camelot gave him. 

The young genius had just turned 14, and while one part of him told him he was nearly a man now - Howard’s insults and Obie’s hungry eyes always haunting him - the other insisted he was still a child - Madre’s tender hand caressing his cheek when he said good bye to go to MIT, Jarvis fretting during their weekly phone call, Peggy’s surprise visits and hugs blanketing him against the harsher world. In his rare moments at home, the library would call out to him. He would go inside and not come out for hours. When he left, it was mostly because Jarvis kind of dragged him to the dining room.

He would read and read some more and it was always the same book. A book about Arthur which felt as close to the truth as they ever got.

For his birthday Jarvis and Peggy had come upstate, celebrating with him and his new best friend Rhodey. Madre had already called ahead. That call hadn’t been pleasant. Tony truly understood what kind of position his mother held, not only in her social circles, the very same circles that guaranteed Howard’s success over and over again but also in her family back home in Italy. Maria’s younger sister had fallen ill and so she had traveled to Italy to tend to her, making it impossible to be with her son. 

Nonetheless, Tony had felt set aside by her, resulting in hurt and anger. So he had slammed the phone down before he could do something he’d never forgive himself for like insulting her.

That aside, having Peggy and Jarvis with him made him happier than most things could, even if they told Rhodey all the embarrassing stories, revealing Tony’s obsession with Arthurian myth.

Rhodey, god bless him, took it all in good humor. He even shared some of his more embarrassing kid stories and never had Tony felt so much affection for someone close his age as he did for his roommate at that moment.

Tony ignored the treacherous little voice deep within him whispering, ‘ _There were others, once._ ’

The following Christmas, Tony was invited to the Rhodes’ household and learned everything there was to learn about Rhodey’s childhood. He got to know Roberta Rhodes and was promptly made part of the family. He learned about Rhodey’s little sister, who was at a rehab clinic at the moment. He also had the honor of meeting Rhodey’s father, for once a man who was upright and yet loving. 

While the experience alone was a treasure, he treasured his gift from them beyond any otherworldly possession. The whole family had apparently chipped in, even going so far as to call Jarvis and Peggy for advice, and found a supposedly ancient book about spells. Tony would deny it until the end of time, but the brown leatherbound book felt more like home than anything Tony had ever experienced.

~

The day Maria and Howard Stark were supposed to die was a strange one for Tony. Everything was normal. Maria tried to mediate between her husband and her son, Tony was being difficult towards Howard, and Howard had kept the ‘ignoring the brat routine’. Tony had set himself down at the piano bench, idly playing a tune. Something was nagging at his mind, had been all day, souring his mood until it all had exploded with Howard earlier. Usually, that nagging would stop after such a confrontation. Today, it didn’t; if anything, it got worse.

So, before both of his parents left, Tony jumped up from the piano and rushed towards the car. He saw the confusion in both of his parents' faces. The genius braced himself for a scolding when he flung his arms around first his mother, holding her close and tight, then kissing her cheek and then doing the same to Howard, except that he buried his face in the man’s neck. For maybe the first time in forever, Tony whispered, “I love you, dad.”

And Howard did the unthinkable. He closed his arms around his son, hugging him closer and relaxing against Tony. Then, just before they parted he said, “I love you, too. You don’t have any idea how proud I am of you, son.”

With regret in both their eyes, they parted completely, Maria teary-eyed as she got into the car, while Howard looked intently at his son. “Tony… When we’re back… How about we spend some time together in the lab?”

Heart beating faster than ever, eyes shining with hope and joy, Tony beamed, “Would love to, old man. Now get going. No one likes a lazy daisy.”

Tony knew that he and his father had a long way to go to mend the bridges they had willingly destroyed. But he felt hopeful that they could do it together. 

Somewhere down the road, Howard was too preoccupied with his son’s sudden affection to see the glass shards on the road, resulting in their car stopping only a couple of miles from the manor. Cursing and ranting Howard had looked at their spare tire, changed the flat one with it, and drove a couple more miles before he made an u-turn, his wife looking imploringly at him before Howard Stark drove back home. If asked later Howard would tell that he didn’t want to drive with the spare tire for the long-distance ahead. Privately, he had decided that for once his family should come first and called Peggy to let her know that she needed to send someone trustworthy to retrieve the vials.

And just like that, what once should have been came undone, and a lot of mistakes were avoided. Peggy called later to inform Howard that she’d found evidence of a leak in SHIELD, most likely part of a plan to get Howard and the serum. Her words stayed with the older man for quite some years, “You going back home might very well have saved your life, Howard.”

So instead of dying on the 16th December 1991, both Maria and Howard Stark lived three more years, enabling Tony to mature some more, to become a better man, one more ready to take on the legacy his parents left behind.

**Author's Note:**

>  **TSB**  
>  Title: A Fairytale, This Is Not - Chapter One: The Myth, The Past, The Present  
> Collaborator Name: Fighting_for_Creativity  
> Card Number: 4004  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28194729  
> Square filled: adopted - Science and Magic  
> Ship/Main Pairing: WinterIron (endgame for the fic), Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Morgana, Merlin/Gwaine (due to the nature of the fic, bear with me folks)  
> Rating: M  
> Major Tags: Reincarnation, dreams, visions, canon typical violence, ok Howard, kidnapping, (HYDRA in later chapters), team as family  
> Summary: Sometimes, unbeknownst to Tony, his reflection doesn’t show the man the world sees. Yet his dreams show Tony, what has been, and what will come.  
> On a journey to himself, Tony Stark learns to trust and live, finding a family with unlikely people and love in the most unexpected ways.  
> Word Count: 1.7k
> 
>   
> **SBB**  
>  Title: A Fairytale, This Is Not, Chapter One: The Myth, The Past, The Present  
> Collaborator Name: J_Gun_i  
> Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28194729/  
> Square Filled: I4 Past  
> Ship/Main Pairing: WinterIron (endgame for the fic), Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Morgana, Merlin/Gwaine (due to the nature of the fic, bear with me folks)  
> Rating: M  
> Major Tags & Triggers: Reincarnation, dreams, visions, canon typical violence, ok Howard, kidnapping, (HYDRA in later chapters), team as family  
> Summary: Sometimes, unbeknownst to Tony, his reflection doesn’t show the man the world sees. Yet his dreams show Tony, what has been, and what will come.  
> On a journey to himself, Tony Stark learns to trust and live, finding a family with unlikely people and love in the most unexpected ways.  
> Word Count: 1.7k
> 
> How to reach me:  
> ~Tumblr: [fightingforcreativity](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/fightingforcreativity)  
> ~Discord: #9303 J_Gun_i


End file.
